Automatic toaster



July, 1935. A. c. PURPURA Y AUTOMATIC TOASTER Original Filed Aug. 25e 1932 Patented July 30,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A l Au'rom'rrc ToAs'rEa August C. Purpura, Chicago, Ill.

Reled for abandoned application SerialV No. 630,434, August 25, 1932. This application September 27, 1934, Seal No. 745,680

x 9 Claims. This invention relates to automatic toasters and is a substitution for application Serial'No. 630,434 filed August 25, 1932.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a simple and novel device for toasting bread or the like, of rugged and durable con-` struction, which may be built at a low c ost and which will automatically shift the bread or other article out of the heating zone aftr it has been ly lon the line I-I of Fig. 2, the movable parts.

being shown in different position in full lines and in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is`a section taken substantially on the vline 2-2 of Fig. 1; and g Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating one of the hinge joints. f Referring to the drawing, reference characte I represents a suitable support inthe form of a hollowsheet metal base. Mounted on and rising from the base are two long, high flat heating 30v elements of any usual or suitable construction, in-

dicated at 2 and 3. These heating elements are opposite and parallel to each other but are spaced apart far enough to permit holders for bread to be toasted to be positioned between them. The heating -eler'nents vare conveniently covered by 'sheet metal shields 4, 4 extending over the outer sides and thetcp and end edges of the heating elements. The structure` is preferably-made long enough to permit two slices of bread, placed end 40 to end, to be toasted simultaneously, in which case separate holders are provided for the two slices, this being 'the particular construction illustrated. Each holder may conveniently consist-of a U- shaped frame 5, the members of which are U- shaped in cross section, the troughs in the members of the frame beingron the inner sides.

The side members or arms of each frame are joined together by a few parallel rods or Wires 6, there being twg sets of these rods or wires, one on 50 each broad face of the frame as a whole. Therefore, each holder, consisting of the frame and the connecting wires, forms a receptacle open at one end. A slice-of bread may be slipped into each holder through the open end thereof, being lpre- 65., ventedfrom dropping out sidewise'tby the wires or rods between which it lies. The two holders are mounted on the base in such a manner that when they are in their working or toasting positions they lie end to end between the two heating elements, their open ends being next toeach other. Ii The two holders are hinged to the base at the ends of the heating elements; that is to say, the hinges are in the lvicinity of the ends of the heating elements and preferably beyond such ends.

'Ihe hinge axes are horizontal and at right anl0 g1es to the planes of theheating elements so that the holders may swing in their own planes from their working positions between the heating elements into idle positions beyond the opposite ends of the heating elements.

In the arrangement shown, each holder has at itslower corner at the closed end a downwardly projecting ear I which is connected to a lug 8 rising from the base member by a horizontal rivet 9 which constitutes a hinge pin. Each of the 20A ears 'I is preferably provided with a lug I0 projecting outwardly therefrom and so positioned and so shaped that, when the holders are swung out from between the heating elements, the lugs I0 will rest on top of the base, as shown '1n dot-ted 25 lines in Fig.,1, and cause the holders to be sup--v ported with their open ends at the top. A slice of bread, indicated in dotted lines at A in Fig. 1, maybe inserted in each of the'holders while the holders are in their outer idle positions, so as to v304 i be placed in proper toasting relation to the heating elements when the holders are swung into l their working or toasting positions. r The free ends of the arms of the frames of the two holders abut against each other when the holders are in toasting position, so that the inner ends of the holders serve as mutual lsupports for v each other. One of the holders is preferably provided with a finger II thatlprojects underneath the other holder when they are in toasting 40 f positions, so that, when the rst holder is swung outwardly, it will act on the other holder and swing it in the opposite direction.

Means ae preferably provided yieldingly to hold the holders in each of their two positions. Furthermore, it is advantageous to insure that the holders will complete their swinging movements in either direction after such movements have been initiated. I therefore connect the two holders together by 'a long tension spring I2 50 which lies parallel to and not far from a line connecting the hinge axes of the holders.

.'Ihe ends of the springs are hooked over pins I 3 on the lugs I II. These lpins are so located that, when the holders lare in their toasting positions, 55

2 the line connecting the pins is a little above the line connecting the hinge axes; whereas when the holders are swung out into their dotted line positions, the line connecting the pins I3 drops a considerable distance below the hinge axes. Therefore the spring acts to hold the holders in their toasting positions as well as in their idle positions, by reason of the fact that the line of pull of the spring is carried past center.

Since the line of pull of the spring lies only slightly above the hinge axes when the holders are ln their toasting positions, only a slight movement of the holders toward their idle positions is necessary to carry the spring past center and cause it to exert its power in a direction to complete the outward swinging movements ofthe holders. This is of particular advantage in connection with automatic operation of the holders to carry the bread out of the toasting zone after the toasting has been completed, since the actuating means to initiate the movements ofthe holders toward their idle positions need not move the holders very far.

In order to trip the holders to start them in the direction of their idle positions, I employ an arm or lever I4 located within the hollow base. and hinged at one end, as indicated at I5, to an ear I6 depending from the top wall of the base. Rising from this arm, between the ends thereof is a screw I'I. The arm and its screw are in the plane of the holders and the screw underlies that holder which is provided with the nger II.

Therefore, when the arm I4 is swung up, thel screw strikes the bottom edge of one of the holders, causing that holder to swing upward and carry with it the other holder. As soon as the holders have been swung by the arm through a short predetermined angle, the spring I2 becomes veffective to continue and complete the swinging movements of the holders.

Means are provided for automatically actuating the arm I4 after the bread to be toasted has `been in the toasting zone for a predetermined length` of time. The actuating means' for the lever I4 consists of a rod or stem I8 extending horizontally through one end wall of the base and having on its outer end a head or button I9, the. rod or stem being in the same vertical plane as the lever I4 and underlyingA this lever. On the inner end of the rod or stem is a piston 20 havingl a sliding fit in a cylinder 2|.

The pistonis so constructed, conveniently by covering it with a leather cup-shaped washer 22, that when the rod or stem is pushed inward the air can flow freely past the piston from the rear end of the cylindertoward the front end, whereas when there is an excess offluid pressure in the cylinder in front of the piston there can be no flow of fluid rearwardly past the latter.

The cylinder has a small hole or port 23, behind the piston, which will permit air' to enter the cylinder very slowly when a partial vacuum is 'created in the cylinder behindthe piston.

Therefore, if a spring is associated with the piston or with the stem, tending constantly to move the piston and the stem forward, energy being stored up in the spring when the stem is pushed in, it will be seen that, when the pressure on the stern is released, the spring will move the piston and the stem forward; but, because there can be no transference of air between the two ends of the cylinder during this movement of the piston, a partial vacuum will be created nthe rear end of the cylinder, and the movement of the piston will therefore be slow. The rate of forward movement of the piston, under the action of the spring depends upon the sizeof the opening or port 23 which determines the rate at which air can enter the cylinder behind the piston. In the embodiment shown the spring for actuating the piston is a compression spring 24 housed in the cylinder behind the piston.

On the rod or stem I8 is a block or collar 25 adjustable along the stem. When the piston is moved forward a predetermined distance after having rst been brought to the end of its inward stroke, the block or collar will engage under the freeend of the lever I4 and swing the lever up, as -shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, thereby causing the holders to be swung far enough in the direction of their idle positions to permit the spring I2 Ito complete the movements of the holders and bring them into their idle positions, as heretofore explained.

It will be seen that the time that must elapse after the stem has been pushed in, before the holders will be swung out of their toasting positions, depends not only on the rate at which the air can enter the port 23, but also on the point at which the block or collar 25 is secured along the stem. v

In Fig. l of the drawing the piston is shown as at the limit of its backward movement. If the collar or block 25 be moved closer to the front end of the cylinder, it will take longer for it to contact with the arm I4 when pressure on the stem is released so as to permit the spring 24 to act. On the other hand, if this block or collar be shifted along the stem so as to come nearer the arm I4, the holders will be operated more quickly than with the collar or block in the position of adjustment shown. It is therefore possible very accurately to regulate the time during which the bread remains in toasting position.

It will thus be seen that a simple and novel automatic toaster is produced, in which the slices of bread move down by gravity into the holders, and in which the holders are shifted between working and idle positions in such a way that there is ,no danger that the bread or the toast will become displaced or drop out. It will also be seen that it is a simple matter to insert the bread and remove the toast and, as heretofore explained, nicely to regulate the toasting period so as to give to the toast exactly the qualities desired therein. 1

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. In a toaster, a support including a hollow base, two high parallel heating elements rising from said base opposite and in spaced relation to each other, a holder for bread to be toasted standing on edge between said heating elements when in its working position, a hinge connecting one lower corner of said holder to said support adjacent to one end of said heating elements to permit said holder to swing in its own plane into an idle position outwardly from the ends of said heating elements, a lever mounted in said base 55 `located within the upper'portion of said hollow for vertical swinging movements in'a plane parallel to the planes of said heating elements, a

part on said lever lying below and normally out of contact with the holder when the` latter is ibase, two high parallel heating elements rising from said 4basel opposite and in Aspaced relation to each other, a holder for bread to be toasted standing on edge between said heating elements when in its working position, a hinge connecting one lower corner of said holder to said support adjacent one end of said heating elements to permit said holder .to swing in its own plane into an idle position outwardly from the ends of said heating elements, a lever mounted in said base for vertical swinging movements in a plane parallel to theplanes of said heating elements, .a part on said lever lying below and adapted to be engaged with the holder when the lever is swung up, thereby lifting the holder, and a timing device mounted in said base to actuate said lever and including a part movable in the plane of and underneath said leverin a direction to engagewithl the lever and swing it up. l

3. The combination with a toaster including va hollow base, heating means and a movable toast` holder mounted on top of said ,-base, of a lever arranged in said base and pivotedat one end near the top of the base for swinging movements in a vertical plane, a part on said lever, extending up lthrough the base to operate said holder, said part being unconnected with theholder butv i being adapted to be brought into engagement'when the lever is swung up, said lever havinga downwardly its length, and a part on-said rod adapted to enf gage with the inclined under edge of said lever and cause the lever to be swung up when the rodjs moved. a predetermined distance in one direction;l

4. In a toaster, a support including a'hllow base, two high parallel heating elements rising from said base opposite and in spaced relation vto hinged to said base and adaptedto swing bel tween a working position in which it lies between said heating elements andan idlepositi'on, aflever base andhingedto the base for vertically swinging movements, a part on saidlevr projecting up through said base nd'adaptgd to he brought .into

contact with the under side of said holder to yeach other, a holder for bread to be toasted' inclinedportion, a timing device mounted in said hollowbase and includinga horizontal lengthwise movable rod, and ashoulder on said rod -in'position to engage with said inclined portion of thev lever, when the rod is moved in one directionand 'thus cause the lever to swing up. y

l 5. In a toaster, a support includinga hollow base, two high fparallelheating elements rising 'from said base, opposite and in spaced relation to each other, a holder for bread -to be toasted hinged withinthe upper'v portion of said hollow base fand' hinged to the base for vertically swinging movesaid base and adapted to be brought into contact with the under side. of said holder tov swing the latter toward its idle position when the lever is raised, said lever having a downwardly inclined portion, a timing device mounted in said hollow base and including a horizontal lengthwise movable rod below and in the .fplane of said lever,

'ments, a part on said lever projecting up through and a shoulder on said rod in position to engage l with said inclined portion or the lover, when the rod is movedy in one direction, and thus cause the lever to swing up.

free end, a timing device mounted in the base and Ahaving a rod underlying said lever inthe plane of the lever and adapted to be moved in the direction of its length,` and a part on said rod adapted to engage with the inclined under edge of said lever and cause the lever to be swung up when the rod is moved a predetermined distance in one direction.

'1. In a. toaster, a support, two bread holders adapted to stand end to endv in their working positions, hinges connecting'said holders at their outer ends to the support to permitI the` holders to be-swung in the plane thereof away from each' other into idle positions, heating elements on the support on opposite sides of said holders when the latter are in their working positions, means. connected to said holders to swing each into either of its 'said positions when it is swung l;

a predetermined distance toward that position from the other position, and a part on one holder adapted -to engage'withthe other holder and vmove the latter through said predetermined distance when the former is moved la corresponding distance from its working position.

8. In a toaster, a support, two long, high, par-y alle] heating elements, rising from said supportA` opposite and in spaced relation in each other, two holdersfor bread to be toasted' adapted to be-disposed end to end between said heating ele-v ments 'in their toasting position. hingeslbetween said holders and said support at the' Iends of the heating elements adapted to permit the holdl nection between .the spring and each holder being aboye the hinge axis when the holders are in one of the aforesaid positions and to lle below vthe hinge axis when the holders are in the other o! the aforesaid positions, and a part on one holder adapted toengage with the other to cause both when the first holder is swung upwardly.

9. In atoaster, a support, 'twobread holders adapted to stand end to end in their working to be swung in the plane thereof awaywtrom each other into idle positions,v heating elements on holders to swing up in unison with each other positions, hinges connecting said holders'at their i outer ends to the support to permit the holders distance from its working position, a vertically swinging lever below the holder having thereon the aforesaid part, means on said lever to engage with the lower edge of the overlying holder and cause said holder to bel swung upwardly through said predetermined distance when the lever is swung up, and a timing device for actuating sald lever. y

AUGUST PURPURA. 

